A Head Full of Lice
by classicsfan
Summary: Danny and Lindsay investigate a case with suspicious circumstances. Rated T for mild language.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first story, but give me feedback! I'm always looking for ways to improve!

* * *

It was an abnormally boring day at the dispatch headquarters of the New York City Police Department. The most exciting call of the day had been a hit and run in a parking garage on Broadway, with the victim only suffering from minor injuries. Wanda Scorsberger sat observing the screens, trying desperately not to fall asleep. The phone rang and she lazily picked it up.

"911, how can I help you?"

"Please! Somebody!" The voice of a little girl was on the other end of the line. "My mommy's head is on fire!"

* * *

Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe pulled up to the apartment complex in Belmont to see charring outside of a window closer to the top of the building.

"I just love arson, don't you?" Danny quipped to Lindsay, who just smirked. The two walked up the stairs to the 16th floor and met Detective Don Flack outside of apartment 1654.

"Vic's name is Charlene White, 35. Single mother, daughter Caitlyn is with EMS right now. Caitlyn called 911 at 12:30 PM crying that her mother was on fire. Fire Department responded immediately and took Miss White to Mount Sinai."

"So she's still alive?"

"She was very lucky, I'll give her that. She suffered from 3rd degree burns on 70% of her body. She was somewhat conscious when the paramedics found her, but she was out by the time the ambulance got to the hospital"

"Well, once the burns hit 3rd degree, the nerves are scorched and pain can no longer be felt, so maybe that explains why she was still conscious," Lindsay offered.

"Nevertheless," Flack interrupted, "This had to be pretty brutal. Somebody wanted this woman dead. Have fun, guys." He headed out the door and down the stairs, leaving Danny and Lindsay to observe their surroundings. Lindsay looked at the front door to the apartment.

"No sign of forced entry," she told Danny. "Either the vic knew the arsonist, or he had a key to the apartment."

"We'll check with the landlord, see who had access." They each grabbed a camera and started to process the scene. Danny took the living room while Lindsay started checking out the kitchen.

"It looks like the point of origin is at the kitchen table," Lindsay called over to him. "The burn marks on this chair are much bigger than in the points around it." She snapped several different pictures of the chair at several different angles.

"Montana." She looked up. Danny was holding up a can of lighter fluid. He flipped it upside down and shook it, showing her that nothing was coming out of it. "I think I found our accelerant."

"Wow," was all that Lindsay could manage to say. It was obvious that someone went to great lengths to see that Charlene White burned to death.

"I was taking a nap in my bedroom," Caitlyn White told Flack. "I woke up when I thought I heard something screaming, so I went out into the kitchen and saw Mommy with her hair on fire. She was screaming at me to call 911, so I did." Lindsay and Danny joined Flack outside behind the ambulance that Caitlyn was sitting in.

"How old are you, Caitlyn?" Lindsay asked her.

"Eight," was all that Caitlyn replied with.

"Why weren't you at school?"

"The school said that I couldn't go."

"Do you have any idea why?"

"I have lice, and they don't want me to infect the other kids or something."

Lindsay and Danny both subconsciously took a step back. "Were you using any special kind of shampoo or anything to get rid of the lice?" Danny inquired.

Caitlyn shook her head. "Mommy doesn't believe in the doctor. She says that whenever I get sick or anything like that I should just will myself to get better. She doesn't let me take medicine."

"Did you hear anyone come into or go out of your apartment before you found your mother in the kitchen?"

"No, and I'm a light sleeper so I think I would have heard something."

"Thanks Caitlyn." Flack turned to the head EMT. "Could you take her to Mount Sinai to be with her mother? We'll contact child services and make sure that she gets put in someone's care while Miss White is in the hospital."

"Sure thing, boss." They packed up the ambulance and drove quickly away. Danny and Lindsay moved towards their shared Yukon and put their evidence in the trunk.

"What did you guys find?" Flack asked them.

"A can of kerosene, a candlestick on the table with minimal traces of candle in it, and fingerprints on the door-handle. We have to test for prints on the can when we get back to the lab, it's not the right surface for print powder. The candle wax was also all over the table, which makes sense because the table was basically engulfed in flames. Other than that, nothing probative," Danny informed him.

"Hopefully the fingerprints will speak for themselves," Lindsay said somewhat hopelessly.

* * *

When they got to the lab, Lindsay headed for fingerprints to test for prints on the kerosene can and the candlestick and to run the prints on the door through AFIS. Danny decided to run a background check on Charlene White, checking up on her credit card reports and her recent phone calls. Danny got a hit first and met Lindsay in the print lab.

"Hey, Montana, here's something that I think you'll find interesting." He slapped a report down in front of her. Lindsay picked up the paper and read through it.

"The only incoming calls that Charlene White has gotten in the last month other than from the school that Caitlyn goes to have been from-"

"Her ex-husband," Danny finished from her. He slapped another file down in front of her. "Michael White, 35. Lives over in Highbridge."

"Oh, so we're dealing with a true winner, here," Lindsay joked.

"Turns out, they just got divorce two months ago." The computer that Lindsay was sitting at beeped at the two.

"AFIS gave us a hit on those prints from the front door. Surprise, surprise, they belong to none other than Michael White."

"Why is he in the system?" Danny asked her. She clicked on his file.

"Possession of narcotics in '00. Breaking and entering in '02. Assault in '04. Like I said, true winner," she grinned at him.

"Alright there, settle down, Montana. What were the ex-husband's prints doing on the door to his ex-wife's apartment?"

"Perhaps Mr. White can answer that."

* * *

"I told you, I used to live there, why is it so unusual that you would find my fingerprints on the door handle?" a very impatient Michael White informed the CSIs when he was brought in for questioning.

"And we told you, Mr. White, your fingerprints were found on top of all of the other prints we found on the handle," Lindsay caught him in his lie. "You were the last person to touch the doorknob before your ex-wife was burned."

Danny gave White an intimidating look and White rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. I was there," White admitted. "We're still in a custody battle over Caitlyn. I went over there to discuss terms. We were supposed to meet with the judge tomorrow."

Danny shook his head. "Mr. White, if that was the case, why didn't you just say so." No reply. "Let me tell you what happened. You went to your ex-wife's apartment. You wanted sole custody of Caitlyn, and there was no way in hell she was going to let her ex-con ex-husband raise her daughter. She probably told you that in a less than cordial way, and you got pissed off. You poured a can of kerosene that you bought yesterday over her head," Lindsay placed a receipt in front of White that showed a purchase of kerosene at the local hardware store. "You took the candle that was lit on the table and you set her hair on fire. You thought the building would burn down and it would be ruled an accident, allowing you to have Caitlyn all to yourself. But here's what you didn't know: Caitlyn was home from school that day with lice. She smelled the smoke and called 9-1-1. Not only did your plan fail, Mr. White, but you almost killed your daughter in the process. What do you have to say for yourself?"

White looked at the pair incredulously. "You can't pin this on me. I was going to take Caitlyn camping in the Adirondacks this weekend, and I was going to bring my kerosene lamp with me. That's why I bought the kerosene yesterday. I didn't try to kill Charlene."

"We'll be the judge of that." Lindsay rose from her seat and stormed out the door.

Danny watched her leave in confusion. "We'll uh…we'll be in touch, Michael." He got up and raced after her.

"Montana, what's wrong?" He grabbed her arm and turned her around. When she saw him looking at her with concern, she sighed deeply.

"Nothing," she assured him. "I just don't believe him and it frustrates me."

"Well don't worry, we'll get him. I'm gonna go process the fingerprints we found on the can and the candlestick, and I guarantee you his fingerprints'll be all over them."

She nodded and gave him a weak smile. "I think I'll go down to the hospital and ask Caitlyn if her dad really was taking her up north this weekend."

"Alright, I'll page you with the results."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it! Drop me a review

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	2. Chapter 2

Hey, guys! Sorry it's been so long. I was in Michigan for Christmas and didn't have easy access to a computer. Here is the second and last installment. I hope you enjoy it!

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Lindsay squeezed her way through the crowd invading the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital. She flashed her badge to the receptionist and asked about Charlene White's condition.

"Ms. White has been in surgery for the last two hours. Because of the severity of the burns, they have to rebuild her skin. It will be quite some time."

"The crime lab is going to need any trace evidence found on Ms. White's body," Lindsay requested.

"Dr. Salin told me that they would send anything they found right over to the lab. Anything else you need?"

"Yes, I was wondering if her daughter, Caitlyn was still here."

"She should be in the break room. Child's Services hasn't arrived yet." Lindsay smiled at the young woman and headed in the direction that the woman was pointed in. She saw a little girl seated in a chair five sizes too big for her, playing with a cup of water. Lindsay knocked on the door and cautiously approached Caitlyn White.

"Caitlyn?" The little girl's head shot towards the CSI. "Do you remember me? My name's Detective Monroe. I'm the one finding out who hurt your Mommy." Caitlyn nodded slightly and returned her attention to her cup. Lindsay sat down in front of her and smiled.

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" Caitlyn shook her head. "Was your Daddy at your house earlier today?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what he and your Mommy were talking about?"

"Me."

"Did your Daddy hit your Mommy or hurt her in any way?"

"No."

"How soon after your Daddy left did you see your Mommy burning?"

"He left before I woke up."

Lindsay sighed. Caitlyn was not being especially helpful. She tried one last time.

"Caitlyn, is your Daddy taking you on a trip this weekend?" That got the girl's attention. She started beaming and looked Lindsay straight in the eye.

"Yes! He is taking me camping in the mountains. We go every year, it's so much fun!" Lindsay smiled at her and rose from her chair.

"Well, that's all of the questions I have. Someone should be here soon to make sure that you have somewhere to stay tonight."

"I want my Daddy." Lindsay froze in her tracks. How could she tell this little girl that her Daddy was a suspect in her mother's attempted murder?

"We'll see," was all that she could respond with. And with that, she walked out the door and tried to find Charlene White's operating room. She hadn't walked 10 feet when her cell phone started ringing.

"Monroe."

"Montana, it's Danny. Listen, the fingerprints on the candlestick and the kerosene are not a match to Michael White."

"What?! That's impossible. We found no other evidence of anyone in the apartment other than Charlene and Cait…lyn…"

"What's on your mind?"

"I was just thinking. Caitlyn seemed really excited when she was talking about going on a trip with her dad. Maybe she tried to kill her mother so that she could live with her dad."

She could almost see Danny's head shake through the phone. "I don't think so, Montana. The prints are too big to belong to an eight year old. Plus, how could she have poured the kerosene on her mother's head? She's too short."

Lindsay rolled her eyes. Danny always had to outsmart her. "Okay…so that leaves Charlene. Do you think she set herself on fire?"

"It's possible. See if you can get her prints and we'll do a comparison. I'll meet you back at the lab."

"Alright, bye." Lindsay shut her phone. Hopefully the doctor's would let her in the operating room, though she doubted it. She found the room that Charlene White was in and lightly knocked her fingers against the window looking into the room. The man whom she assumed was Dr. Salin looked up at him and she held up her badge. The doctor motioned for Lindsay to come in, and she smiled to herself, relieved at the doctor's courtesy.

"Detective Lindsay Monroe, I'm investigating Ms. White's case. What can you tell me?"

"Well, Detective, not much. There isn't anything on Ms. White's body to suggest foul play. She doesn't have any defensive wounds of any kind, no bruising, stab wounds, or anything. However, there is something that is interesting." He took his tweezers and carefully lifted something off of Charlene White's head. He held a magnifying glass over the tweezers and held it out for Lindsay to look at. Lindsay squinted in order to see the small spec at the tip of the tweezers. When she realized what she was looking at, she stared at Dr. Salin in disbelief.

"An insect egg?"

"Lice, from what I could tell. Ms. White was suffering from a very itchy scalp. There are scratch marks all over the top of her head."

"Her daughter, Caitlyn, was home sick with lice. Maybe she gave them to her mother some point throughout the day."

"It wouldn't be the first time I've seen it."

"Doctor, would it be possible for me to take Ms. White's fingerprints?"

The doctor winced slightly. "I'm afraid we had to amputate Ms. White's fingers. They were too severely burned to let her keep. They would have gotten infected too easily. I can give you what fingers we have, but I can't let you print the ones that were left on. It's a safety precaution."

Lindsay nodded. "That's understandable. It would be much appreciated if I could have them as soon as possible." Inside she was groaning. The last thing that she wanted to be doing was processing someone's dead, burned off fingers.

* * *

"Danny!" Lindsay called after her colleague in the hallway of the lab.

He whipped his body around when he heard her voice. "What do you have?" Lindsay held up the container filled with Charlene White's fingers and Danny cringed.

"A lead." She grinned at him.

A half an hour later, the two were sitting in the break room waiting for the results of Charlene White's fingerprints to come back.

"Do you like her for this?" Danny asked.

"There's no other explanation," Lindsay told him. "We found no evidence of anyone else in the apartment, and we know it's not Caitlyn. What else could have happened?"

"I dunno." The two spent the next fifteen minutes discussing old cases and joking about the ties that Flack had been wearing to work recently.

"He has to be getting some, there's absolutely no reason for him to be wearing those hideous pieces of crap unless a girlfriend gave them to him," Danny told Lindsay adamantly. It was then that lab-tech Adam Ross knocked on the door to interrupt their banter.

"Hey guys," Adam said in his usual nervous tone. "Your prints on both the can of kerosene and the candlestick are a match to Charlene White." He handed Lindsay the report and she snatched it out of his hands.

"Thanks, Adam," Danny told him, and walked around the table to read over Lindsay's shoulder.

"No-no problem."

When Adam was gone, Danny and Lindsay shared a look of disbelief. "I mean, I know we don't have any other way to explain it," Lindsay began, "but what actually happened?"

"Well, the victim had lice all over her, right?"

"Right, her head was covered in lice eggs."

Danny tapped his pencil on the table, deep in thought. "I got it."

"You do?" Lindsay asked him skeptically.

"My ma used to tell me about when she had lice as a kid. They didn't have the special kinds of shampoo that you can get now to get rid of the little bastards, so they used to pour kerosene on their heads. Sucked the life right out of the little buggers. Excuse the pun."

Lindsay giggled. "Caitlyn said that her mother doesn't believe in medicine, which apparently includes lice shampoo."

"Right, so she douses her head in kerosene…"

* * *

"…And then my hair was all wet. I didn't want to take a shower because I was afraid that the lice weren't all dead yet, so I tried to dry my hair over a candle. I guess I wasn't thinking properly."

Charlene White's surgery had concluded several hours ago, and now she was awake and, incredibly, able to speak. She was telling Lindsay and Danny her very sad, very ridiculous story.

"I guess so," Danny responded. Lindsay just sat there with her mouth hanging open, staring at this adult woman in utter disbelief. When she couldn't bring herself to say anything, Danny said it for her.

"We'd better be leaving you alone now, Ms. White. We hope you have a successful recovery."

"Thank you, Detectives. Sorry for all of the trouble I've caused you. I don't know what could have possibly gone wrong."

"Your mother dropped you on your head when you were a baby?" Lindsay mumbled under her breath.

"Have a nice day, Ms. White," Danny muttered through his teeth.

When they had closed the door behind them, Lindsay finally lashed out.

"It really, REALLY, pisses me off when we spend our entire days chasing after people's ignorance."

"You'd rather have foul play, then?" Danny asked her, amused at her anger.

"At least it has a feeling of satisfaction at the end," Lindsay grumbled. She headed off towards the elevator.

"Whoa, Montana, where are you going?" Danny called after her.

"I'm stopping at CVS, getting the biggest bottle of lice-killing shampoo I can find, and taking an extremely hot, extremely long shower until I know that any trace of those blood suckers is off of me." And with that, she was gone.

Danny chuckled when the elevator door closed, and said to no one in particular, "Jeez, the country girl can stand eating the bugs, but she can't stand having them on her head. Go figure."

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